New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-06
pPOHIBJTJOY ~ 1883.

The Prohibitionsts may be said to have taken
tho field for 1883. The recent conference OF
their National Executive Committee at Chicago
settled that the National Convention should be
held at indianapolis during the first week of
next June; a new chairman was elected to sue
G cd the late John b. Finch in the person Of
Samuel Dickcy, Of Michigan who is a clergy
man. a college professor, and, so it is said, a
shrcwd politician and it is well understood
that the candidate for the Presidency was in
formally straightforward Clinton b. Fisk.
who succeeded in polling 19.S0S votes last
year as Prohibition candidate for Governor Of
New Jersey. Tho Prohibition " machine" have
made their arrangements for next years can
vass far in advance of at least one Of the old
parties. and the mistaken enthusiasts and
brokcn-down, disappointed politicians who are
associated in the management evidently intend
to do the Republican party al the injury in
their power That is the only object they can
have in running National ticket, for tho
President can have no more to do with the
liquor traffic. at least in the States. than with
the internal affairs Of the ottoman Empire.
We have already shown that the impression
that the ProhibitioniSts arc making marked
gains is the reverse Of the truth. In Pcnnsyl
vania the party has gone to pieces; it has lost
considerably in NcwJcrScy. In Ohio and
Massachusetts the gains arc trfing. The only
gains of a respectable figure arc in this state.
and here, after a most strenuous canvass the
increase over last year is ut n smaller rate than
last years increase over the year before This
rdccd is a general Characteristic Of Prohibition
gains this year where there have been any.
The defeat in Atlanta. one Of the most intel
gent and progressive Of Southern cities has
now been added to Che defeats in four States
There is reaction against Prohibition in
Georgia. North Carolina. Iowa and other states
in some Of which it exists to greater or less
extent by virtue Of local option. and in others
under IA general law. On the whole. the Pro
hihnioniSts have LOST ground during the past
year.
They will lose vastly more during the coming
year, If the Republicans Of the Middle states
Will walk where the finger Of destiny Ihinlv
points them The Prohibition collapse in Penn
sylvania followed The passage Of strict HIGH
License law. The irrational pcIcy in temper
ancc went down before the rational Now. if
two-thirds of the Prohibition vote "a in New
Jersey and Connecticut in 1881. and per
been saved to the Republican party. those three
States would have given their electoral votes to
Blaine. The way to crush the Prohibition
party is to pass High License tlws. which when
onco in operation commend themselves to all
reasonable mon. and bring out Of it all hut in
cmahlc fanatics and disGruntlcd politicians.
The 29.1OO votes cast by the Prohibilionis'>
this wear in OHIO did not prevent Foraker from
getting one Of the largest purllitcS given 10
a Republican Governor in many years. The
rs 600 to 1e 900 votes cast 10y them in Penn
>ylyania did not prevent the Republicans from
getting the largest plurality in fifteen years.
except that for Blaine three years ago. The
Republicans in those States have dealt cour-
aGcousiy and firmly with this question, and the
party in this and nci ehboring States needs onl!
TO follow their example.